By: Tom Duggan – January 30, 2013 (6PM) Lawrence Mayor William Lantigua has paid his debt to the Massachusetts Office of Campaign Finance (OCPF) to the tune of $5,000. Lantigua made the payment Wednesday January 30, 2013 after cashing out $5,000 from a personal Ameriprise investment account, transferring the money to his personal checking account, […]
The Registry of Deeds Building in Lawrence—now owned by the Northern Essex Community College Foundation— will be demolished later this month, making room for green space connecting two of the college’s downtown Lawrence buildings. When completed, the 41,500 sq. ft. site will provide a walkway between the college’s Dr. Ibrahim El Hefni Allied Health […]
By: Peter Larocque – January 2013 First, let me say Happy New Year to all the Valley Patriot readers and let’s expect the absolute best in 2013 for everyone. If I were to give this column a second title it would read something like this, “Why Supposedly Good Elected Officials say and do nothing […]
By: Helen Mooradkanian – January 2013 LAWRENCE – It was early 1961 during the Cold War. The United States had just closed its embassy in Havana, Cuba. The Cuban Missile Crisis would not come to a head until one year later, in October 1962—the closest the U.S. and the Soviet Union ever came to […]
By: Tom Duggan – January 21, 2013 Lawrence City workers confirmed for the Valley Patriot this morning that murder suspect Ismael Calixto of Lawrence was also working for the City of Lawrence under an $800,000 “Anti-Violence” grant called “The Safe and Successful Youth Initiative grant” to take criminal youths and give them city jobs. According to […]
By: Tom Duggan – January 19, 2013 The Valley Patriot has learned that three armed robbery suspects arrested last Friday for invading a convenience store on Boxford and South Union Streets with Halloween masks and guns are all Lawrence City Workers hired by Mayor William Lantigua in the Department of Public Works. Valley Patriot […]
Hero war Veteran Ronnie Ford not only served his country in the military but when he came home from battle became a police officer in Methuen to serve his community. Ford also served his community as a city councilor in Methuen, a School Committeeman, and as a member of the Greater Lawrence Vocational School. He […]
By: Ronnie Ford – January 2013 Officer Tom Earnshaw is one big dude! When faced with a twenty person mob attack on his person, the experienced and likable cop was really up against it. Thank God for the backup of the local police and State Police. This shows the potential danger that lurks around […]
By: Tom Duggan – January 8, 2013 What do you call it when the legislature passes a law but they purposely don’t impose any penalties for violating that law? Well if you live in Massachusetts you would call it the Public Records law, or MGL Chapter 66. Now Sate Representative Diana DiZoglio says the first […]
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD OR LISTEN TO HOUR 1 CLICK TO DOWNLOAD OR LISTEN TO HOUR 2 Today Tom spoke with former Lawrence City Councilor Mike Sweeney about the death of Heather Sapienza, the wife of fired DPW worker Tom Sapienza. Tom asked the city of Lawrence MA Mayor Willie Lantigua for time off without pay […]
By: Tom Duggan – January 4, 2013 LAWRENCE – A dangerousness hearing was held today, for 17 year old Methuen High School Junior, Jacob Butze-Maille, who made threats to commit a mass shooting at Methuen High School last month. His arrest was just days before the mass shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School […]
By: Joe D’Amore – December 2012 With headlines announcing Grand Jury indictments of two city officials and the already completed take- over of Lawrence public schools many are suggesting comprehensive receivership of the City of Lawrence is warranted. For an assessment of this possibility the major precedent for state control of a municipality is […]
By: Peter Larocque – December 2012 What we all witnessed early Wednesday morning, November 7, 2012, the day after the election for the Presidency of the United States of America, didn’t just begin a few days before. It was a long time in the making. I have listened to many reasons, countless amounts of […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL December 2012 A society run by the whims of men and unfettered by laws can imprison you without cause or due process. It can steal your property and silence your protestations. Ultimately, the result is a breakdown of civil order and a descent into chaos. It is the rule of law that […]
By: Ronnie Ford – December 2012 Jose Santiago and Willy Lantigua used to be as close as two bugs in a rug. Then came the split and now they are back together again. The affable Mayor appointed Jose to a position in the City. Isn’t love grand? Now, Jose is not a bad guy, and […]